In a world where remote work continues to become more prominent, many companies are opting to let go of their office spaces — StyleBlueprint being one of them. When searching for a location to host our most recent quarterly company retreat, we came across Wildwood Resort & Marina in Granville, TN.
From the cozy lodging options to a robust (and delicious!) dining menu, we can’t recommend Wildwood Resort enough for group events. Whether you’re hosting a corporate retreat, family reunion, girls’ weekend, or wedding, here are five reasons to make Wildwood Resort your home for a few days.
A Premier Food & Beverage Program
According to John Deane, founder and owner of Wildwood Resort, one of the things he hears most from satisfied guests is praise for the resort’s food and beverage menus. “We have a robust food and beverage program led by Executive Chef Chris Maxwell,” he explains. “We did a national search for a chef and had 95 applicants. We whittled it down to Chris, who, as it turns out, lives 30 minutes away and has been there his whole life.”
Groups can select from curated menus that offer delicious breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. Our team raved about the shrimp and grits we were served at dinner and a nacho bar we devoured at lunch — but additional standouts include whiskey-glazed salmon with ginger and lemongrass, fried chicken with black pepper gravy, and chicken parmesan.
If you wish to dine on your own for a meal or two, you can also visit the resort’s full-service lakefront restaurant. Offering both outdoor and indoor dining, guests can enjoy tasty fare while taking in views of Cordell Hull Lake.
“We can pretty much arrange for anything food- and beverage-wise,” says John. “If you want something different, we can adapt. Food and beverage is a really important part of our work.”
An Unparalleled Sleep Experience
After a day full of group activities or meetings, you’ll be ready to retreat to your room. Luckily, Wildwood Resort offers seven unique boutique lodging styles, all thoughtfully designed with comfort in mind.
Our team stayed in the Lakeside Inn, a two-story building with 14 bedrooms, covered porches, and breathtaking views. Inside our rooms, we enjoyed high-end amenities like luxury mattresses and linens, flat-screen televisions, and terrycloth robes.
“In our inn and lodge rooms — which are of primary interest to the corporate retreat crowd — we’re basically offering a four-star experience,” says John. “Our mattresses are sourced from the same model that’s used by Four Seasons Hotels throughout the world. With that, we have 400-thread-count linens with Belgian flax coverlets.”
Additional lodging options throughout the Wildwood campus include rustic cabins, an Airstream village, lakeview saltbox homes, a waterfront lodge, and floating harbor cottage houseboats. Like the Lakeside Inn, each option offers luxury, high-end amenities.
A Serene Meeting Room
Another standout feature of Wildwood Resort is its signature meeting venue, the Cordell Lakeside Event Room. The 820-square-foot room accommodates up to 50 individuals when set up in a lecture-style seating arrangement. Perfect for work meetings, our team utilized the space’s two 85-inch television monitors, overhead speakers, and a point-and-shoot camera for video conferencing.
The space also includes French double doors that overlook the lake, as well as a large garage door on another wall, which gives the room a serene indoor-outdoor experience.
“The event room is just a very pleasant place to be,” adds John. “I was a healthcare consultant for 40 years in my prior career, and I led and attended probably a thousand retreats. I had an idea of what folks would want from the space, and I designed the room with all of that in mind.”
While the meeting room is undoubtedly a beautiful space, the Wildwood Resort team is careful not to have groups spend all of their time in one spot. For example, our team enjoyed breaks throughout the day as well as meals on the beautiful nearby South Deck Pavilion.
Fun Ways to Fill Your Free Time
John adds that many guests also praise Wildwood Resort for its array of activities — and we couldn’t agree more. On a cold night, the Wildwood team introduced us to their stash of board games and one of their 13 fire pits, where they offered us s’mores supplies.
John adds that many groups also love using the resort’s tri-tuned motorboats. “Groups will often have us provide boat drivers so they can enjoy each other’s company without having to worry about where they’re going,” he explains. “We can take them on a tour of the lake or a sunset cruise, and we can provide refreshments when they’re out there, too.”
Additional on-site activities and games include bocce ball, horseshoes, cornhole, giant Jenga, outdoor table tennis, and more. John also notes that the resort can host tournaments where winning teams and guests receive Wildwood merchandise.
Proximity to Historic Granville
Located just one mile from the resort is Downtown Granville, a charming small town that John describes as “an indoor-outdoor museum.” At the center of the town is a fully restored country store from 1890 — the Wildwood Resort team will often bring groups here for dinner and live bluegrass concerts.
“Historic Granville is also a fun thing for spouses to do if their partner is in the meeting room all day,” adds John. “They can go to Historic Granville — it’s a full- or half-day experience to see everything they have over there.”
No matter what group event you may be hosting, Wildwood Resort is an ideal backdrop, offering natural beauty, approachable luxury, outstanding hospitality, and fun. The resort is located at 7316 Granville Hwy, Granville, TN 38564. To learn more or book your stay, visit wildwoodresorttn.com or call (931) 653-4360.
This article is sponsored by Wildwood Resort & Marina. All photography provided unless otherwise noted.
